ground
1 of 4noun
ˈgrau̇nd 
often attributive
1
a
: the surface of a planet (such as the earth or Mars)
b
: an area used for a particular purpose
the parade ground
fishing grounds
c
grounds plural : the area around and belonging to a house or other building
d
: an area of knowledge or special interest
covered a lot of ground in his lecture
e
: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle
2
a
: soil, earth
b
: a special soil
3
a
: the bottom of a body of water
b grounds plural
(1)
: ground coffee beans after brewing
(2)
: sediment sense 1
4
a
: a basis for belief, action, or argument
ground for complaint
—often used in plural sufficient grounds for divorce
b(1)
: a fundamental logical condition
(2)
: a basic metaphysical (see metaphysical sense 2) cause
5
a
: an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth
b
: a large conducting body (such as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential
c
: electric connection with a ground
6
a
: a surrounding area : background
b
: material that serves as a substratum
7
: a football offense utilizing primarily running plays
ground
2 of 4verb
grounded; grounding; grounds
transitive verb
1
a
: to provide a reason or justification for
our fears about technological change may be well grounded
L. K. Williams
L. K. Williams b
: to furnish with a foundation of knowledge : base
an understanding … that is grounded in fact Michael Kimmelman
Michael Kimmelman2
a
: to cause to run aground
b
: to bring to or place on the ground
3
a
: to restrict to the ground
ground a pilot
b
: to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities
grounded her for a week
4
: to connect electrically with a ground
5
: to throw (a football) intentionally to the ground to avoid being tackled for a loss
intransitive verb
1
: to run aground
The ship grounded on a mud bank.
2
: to hit a grounder
grounded back to the pitcher
3
: to have a ground or basis : rely
ground
3 of 4adjective
: reduced to small pieces or a powder by a grinding process
ground beef
ground coffee beans
ground
4 of 4past tense and past participle of grind
Phrases
from the ground up 1
: entirely new or afresh
The car has been redesigned from the ground up.
2
: from the very beginning : thoroughly
built the resort from the ground up
: beyond what is necessary or tolerable : to exhaustion
labored an issue into the ground Newsweek
Newsweek : in or as if in flight : off to a good start
the program never got off the ground
: at the scene of action
1
: into a burrow
the fox went to ground
2
: into hiding
… might need to make a run for it and go to ground someplace … Edward Hoagland
Edward Hoagland
Synonyms
Noun
- demesne
- park
- premises
- premisses
- yard
Verb
- base
- hang
- predicate
- rest
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun An apple fell to the ground. Mechanical problems kept the plane on the ground. They were lying on the ground. The flight was watched by many observers on the ground. planting seeds in the ground She drove a spike into the ground. They built their house on bare ground. We realized that we were on hallowed ground. They built their house on high ground. Each fall the birds return to their wintering grounds. Verb They grounded the ship on a sandbar. The plane was grounded by mechanical problems. Bad weather grounded his flight. a pilot grounded by health problems See More
Recent Examples on the Web Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 16 Sep. 2022 Cellphone video taken from a witness showed Gordon and Branch wrestling on the ground before other people run over. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 The employee then got on his feet and placed his hands on the man, who sat on the ground without fighting or trying to escape. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 The Patriots gained 78 yards on the ground to the Dolphins’ 65. Alanis Thames, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 It was mauled by Arkansas’ potent run game, giving up 295 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Pete Iacobelli, ajc, 15 Sep. 2022 And running back Austin Ekeler had 14 carries for 36 yards on the ground and four catches for 36 yards. Safid Deen, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 Footage from the incident, shared by the OSCO on Twitter and Facebook, shows Gordon in a physical altercation with the suspect on the ground before other employees and bystanders rush in to help. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2022 Most haven’t acted yet because overall demand for office space as COVID-19 wanes is yet to be established, but candidates for conversion are thick on the ground. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Season with a few good pinches of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2022 Just before serving, top with fresh basil and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Aug. 2022 Staples: cornstarch, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 9 Aug. 2022 Make time to ground, connect with the earth, and replenish your soul. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2022 But at some point this month, after fierce monsoons swept through the park, the cactus split at the trunk and toppled to ground, removing one of the area’s most cherished landmarks from the skyline. Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 These will then be ground at a speed of 60 seconds/kilogram and cooked for five to 10 minutes after reaching a temperature of 98 C (208.4 F). Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 16 June 2022 Make time to ground, connect with the earth, and replenish your soul. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
What might this sort of profession-wide action look like on the ground? Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 16 Sep. 2022 Cellphone video taken from a witness showed Gordon and Branch wrestling on the ground before other people run over. Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 15 Sep. 2022 The employee then got on his feet and placed his hands on the man, who sat on the ground without fighting or trying to escape. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2022 The Patriots gained 78 yards on the ground to the Dolphins’ 65. Alanis Thames, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 It was mauled by Arkansas’ potent run game, giving up 295 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Pete Iacobelli, ajc, 15 Sep. 2022 And running back Austin Ekeler had 14 carries for 36 yards on the ground and four catches for 36 yards. Safid Deen, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 Footage from the incident, shared by the OSCO on Twitter and Facebook, shows Gordon in a physical altercation with the suspect on the ground before other employees and bystanders rush in to help. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2022 Most haven’t acted yet because overall demand for office space as COVID-19 wanes is yet to be established, but candidates for conversion are thick on the ground. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Verb
Sunday, the Eagles ground out 216 more, with four players galloping for TDs, including RB Miles Sanders' first since 2020. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 Season with a few good pinches of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2022 Just before serving, top with fresh basil and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Aug. 2022 Staples: cornstarch, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 9 Aug. 2022 Make time to ground, connect with the earth, and replenish your soul. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2022 But at some point this month, after fierce monsoons swept through the park, the cactus split at the trunk and toppled to ground, removing one of the area’s most cherished landmarks from the skyline. Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 These will then be ground at a speed of 60 seconds/kilogram and cooked for five to 10 minutes after reaching a temperature of 98 C (208.4 F). Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 16 June 2022 Make time to ground, connect with the earth, and replenish your soul. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Old English grund; akin to Old High German grunt ground
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b
Adjective
1765, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing ground
Kids Definition
ground 1 of 3
noun
ˈgrau̇nd
1
: the surface of the earth
Leaves fell to the ground.
2
: soil entry 2 sense 1, earth
The beans themselves popped out of the ground. Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie3
: the bottom of a body of water
The boat struck ground.
4
: an area of land
sacred ground
5
: an area used for some purpose
a hunting ground
6
grounds plural : the land around and belonging to a building
the school grounds
7
: background sense 1
8
: a reason for a belief, action, or argument
What is the ground for your complaint?
9
: an area of knowledge
We covered a lot of ground in class.
10
: a level of achievement or success
The company is losing ground.
11
grounds plural : material in a liquid that settles to the bottom
coffee grounds
ground
2 of 3verb
grounded; grounding
1
: to provide a reason for
The practices are grounded in tradition.
2
: to instruct in basic knowledge or understanding The students are well grounded in math.
3
: to run or cause to run aground
ground a ship
4
: to connect electrically with the ground
5
: to prevent (a plane or pilot) from flying
6
: to prohibit from taking part in certain activities as punishment
My parents grounded me for a week.
ground
3 of 3past tense and past participle of grind
Medical Definition
ground
past and past part of grind
Legal Definition
ground 1 of 2
noun
1
: the foundation or basis on which knowledge, belief, or conviction rests : a premise, reason, or collection of data upon which something (as a legal action or argument) relies for validity
sued the city on the ground that the city…had wrongfully released…records City of Lawton v. Moore, 868 P.2d 690 (1993)
City of Lawton v. Moore, 868 P.2d 690 (1993)listed adultery and alcoholism as the grounds for divorce
2
: a piece or parcel of land
the design being to create high ground for use during overflow periods Bright v. Perkins, 239 S.W.2d 281 (1951)
Bright v. Perkins, 239 S.W.2d 281 (1951)a sudden disruption of a piece of ground from one man's land Porter v. Arkansas Western Gas Co., 482 S.W.2d 598 (1972)
Porter v. Arkansas Western Gas Co., 482 S.W.2d 598 (1972)ground
2 of 2transitive verb
: to furnish a ground for : set on a basis
that court grounded the disclosure requirement in negligence law Scott v. Bradford, 606 P.2d 554 (1979)
Scott v. Bradford, 606 P.2d 554 (1979)an argument grounded on falsehoods
ground 1 of 3
noun
1
as in yard
grounds plural the area around and belonging to a building an escorted tour of the White House and its surrounding grounds Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- yard
- park
- acres
- land
- premises
- backyard
- garden
- estate
- property
- campus
- real estate
- premisses
- plot
- parcel
- plaza
- enclosure
- realty
- demesne
- close
- churchyard
- dooryard
- lot
- inclosure
- garth
2
as in sediment
grounds plural matter that settles to the bottom of a body of liquid strain the coffee to remove the grounds Synonyms & Similar Words
- sediment
- precipitate
- sludge
- deposition
- deposit
- silt
- dregs
- settlings
- slag
- waste
- ooze
- lees
- dross
3
as in reason
grounds plural something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing evicted the tenants on the grounds that they violated the lease Synonyms & Similar Words
- reason
- subject
- cause
- authority
- motive
- account
- why
- occasion
- consideration
- impetus
- stimulus
- incentive
- inspiration
- antecedent
- wherefore
- instigation
4
as in field
a small area of usually open land I'll meet you at the parade ground in two hours Synonyms & Similar Words
- field
- clearing
- meadow
- tract
- parcel
- grass
- plot
- lot
- plat
- lawn
- green
- pasture
- greensward
- grassland
- common(s)
- pastureland
- moor
- croft
- heath
- lea
- glade
- ley
- heathland
5
as in foundation
an immaterial thing upon which something else rests opposed to the notion that religious law should be used as a ground for civil law Synonyms & Similar Words
- foundation
- basis
- bedrock
- cornerstone
- base
- groundwork
- footing
- root
- justification
- underpinning
- keystone
- core
- support
- bottom
- shore
- premise
- warp
- framework
- theory
- bed
- warp and woof
- mount
- infrastructure
- focus
- essence
- center
- prop
- heart
- backbone
- anchorage
- kernel
- stay
- assumption
- buttress
- substratum
- substructure
- seat
- presumption
- rationale
- bulwark
- brace
- presupposition
- warrant
- thesis
- nucleus
- hub
- supposition
- touchstone
- soul
- premiss
- eye
- quintessence
6
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow stuck the shovel in the ground and went inside for a glass of water Synonyms & Similar Words
- soil
- dirt
- sand
- mud
- earth
- gravel
- mold
- clay
- dust
- muck
- clod
- loam
- topsoil
- silt
- sediment
- gley
- humus
- blackland
- gumbo
- subsoil
- kaolin
- alluvium
- gault
- duff
- marl
- colluvium
- detritus
- shingle
- loess
- substratum
- gook
- mull
- guck
7
as in backdrop
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed take her picture against a blue ground in order to bring out her blue eyes Synonyms & Similar Words
- backdrop
- background
- scene
- scenery
- stage
- environment
- setting
- surroundings
- set
- milieu
- mise-en-scène
- entourage
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- center
- heart
- foreground
- focal point
- focus
8
as in land
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air was glad to be back on the ground after a turbulent flight Synonyms & Similar Words
- soil
- land
- earth
- dust
- dirt
- continent
- island
- zone
- terra firma
- peninsula
- mainland
- landmass
- isthmus
ground
2 of 3adjective
as in cutting
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something chopping wood with a finely ground axe Synonyms & Similar Words
- cutting
- sharpened
- sharp
- edged
- jagged
- trenchant
- honed
- scratching
- stropped
- keen
- piercing
- edgy
- daggerlike
- whetted
- stabbing
- jabbing
- knifelike
- clawlike
- lacerating
- pointed
- spiky
- pointy
- spikey
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- smooth
- blunt
- dull
- flat
- rounded
- soft
- level
- blunted
- obtuse
- even
- dulled
- slick
ground
3 of 3verb
as in to base
to find a basis you're grounding your entire case on circumstantial evidence Synonyms & Similar Words
- base
- predicate
- rest
- found
- hang
- premise
- establish
- presume
- postulate
- suppose
- presuppose
- assume